S01.E04: Live Free or Die

[Lamima]

Another one it reminds me of is All in the Family. 

[DrSpaceman73]

I dont think Kevin is physically abusive or mean. That sets too low a standard for what is expected of a marriage. I take the sitcom presented parts at face value.  I dont think the show is aiming for that easy stock character to dislike.  He is just a selfish asshole guy, and that is bad enough, that is the point. More is expected of a husband in this day and age, as it should be.  He is the modern day white middle aged male who never sees a need to change or grow up, just expects the world to cater to him.  Then is outraged when that doesn't happen. 

[arc]

Well, that would be more than enough reason to divorce Kevin, but Allison wants to kill him, and murder feels like an overreaction to mere (monumental) selfishness.

[Whimsy]

On 7/6/2021 at 10:24 PM, thuganomics85 said:

The sitcom stuff was once again annoying, but impressive with out they truly capture the style of some of those types of shows.  I did find it interesting that this was the first time we saw it with Allison away for the majority of it.  I wonder if this is how Kevin sees everything and thinks all of his horrible actions and attitude is just silly fun and not abusive.

 

I think that's it exactly.  He thinks he's funny and "cute" (which- no), so he doesn't think what he's doing is even wrong.

On 7/6/2021 at 10:42 PM, Cheyanne11 said:

I'm just waiting for somewhere down the line--maybe the last episode of the season--for non-sitcom Kevin to be shown and we'll see what a true abusive asshole he really is. 

Same.

On 7/6/2021 at 11:25 PM, qtpye said:

 

In the male-dominated sitcoms, we were always meant to sympathize with the husband and think the wife was a snotty delusional idiot for thinking that she could "fit in" with a higher class of people. I imagine that is what Patty thought of Allison until very recently.

 

Interesting, because I never thought that was how we were supposed to see either the husband or the wife.  I thought we were always supposed to see the husband stupid and selfish but basically harmless and the wife as smart but put-upon who tries to make their husband not feel so dumb by working in the background to make everything work who still ultimately loves their big doofus.  Not that I agree with that, but that's how most of these sitcoms came across to me. 

On 7/9/2021 at 11:56 PM, DrSpaceman73 said:

I dont think Kevin is physically abusive or mean. That sets too low a standard for what is expected of a marriage. I take the sitcom presented parts at face value.  I dont think the show is aiming for that easy stock character to dislike.  He is just a selfish asshole guy, and that is bad enough, that is the point. More is expected of a husband in this day and age, as it should be.  He is the modern day white middle aged male who never sees a need to change or grow up, just expects the world to cater to him.  Then is outraged when that doesn't happen. 

I agree.  I think the sitcom sections are to be taken at face value as well.  With the bright colors and laugh track it could seem "harmless" but you take away both of those (and the OTP facial expressions) and you have a very menacing, controlling group of guys. 

Loved the little shout-out to my town in this episode lol.  When Kevin was in the basement and asking where some tool was and they were talking about where the guy lived- they said my town's name.  

[qtpye]

On 7/12/2021 at 10:35 AM, Whimsy said:

I think that's it exactly.  He thinks he's funny and "cute" (which- no), so he doesn't think what he's doing is even wrong.

Same.

Interesting, because I never thought that was how we were supposed to see either the husband or the wife.  I thought we were always supposed to see the husband stupid and selfish but basically harmless and the wife as smart but put-upon who tries to make their husband not feel so dumb by working in the background to make everything work who still ultimately loves their big doofus.  Not that I agree with that, but that's how most of these sitcoms came across to me. 

I agree.  I think the sitcom sections are to be taken at face value as well.  With the bright colors and laugh track it could seem "harmless" but you take away both of those (and the OTP facial expressions) and you have a very menacing, controlling group of guys. 

Loved the little shout-out to my town in this episode lol.  When Kevin was in the basement and asking where some tool was and they were talking about where the guy lived- they said my town's name.  

That is true but I was sort of thinking how in King of Queens Carrie always wanted to move to Manhattan and Doug wanted to stay in Queens. There are also episodes of the Simpsons (which again, I know is satirical) where Marge wants to join a Country Club or host a fancy dinner party and Homer really is not on board.

It just feels like on some of these shows the wife wants to achieve more and the husband is satisfied or too lazy to change their situation. Again, not wanting to move to Manhattan is not necessarily a bad thing but it always feels like we are supposed to be more on the husband's side than the wife.

Again, YMMV.

[DrSpaceman73]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but it's always sunny did an episode called old lady house.  They out cameras in the house if two of the moms who live together to see who is tormenting who.  Turns out they are tormenting each other. But what reminds me of this is how they play either a laugh track or ominous responses in the background and it does totally change the perception of the show as the viewer.  Even horribly dangerous things you put a laugh track with it and the whole scene changes. 

Pretty much one if the main ideas behind this show. 

As to the question of why she has to kill Kevin and can't just leave him, other than as a plot device to ramp up the shows tension, the librarian asks her this in episode two and I don't recall how she answers.  Would have to rewatch.  

Part of it may be she knows if he is still alive he would continue to reach out to her and she would be tempted with some separation and time away to slide back into a relationship with him.  

Plus she is not without her faults. I empathize with her but she is unashamedly sleeping with a married ex, cheating on his wife now with her just like he/she both did it seems also without much hesitation in high school.  

 

[Darian]

This is really tiny but I'm glad for the reveal that Allison's ringtone (for Kevin) is "Shipping up to Boston" because Kevin set it for her. I mean, I sing along and appreciate (I once turned it way at the request of some teens in the next car at a red light in the city where the band was formed and we all delightedly banged our heads and sang, or screamed along) but it seemed more "we're trying to be authentically Massachusetts" than fitting Allison as a character. I mean, it didn't bother me, it was possible she'd choose it, but it didn't feel right. It's just more in character that he chose it . 

And just for fun, it's always struck me as surreal that sometimes when Dropkick Murphys performs "Shipping up to Boston," they have Irish Step Dancers on stage with them. Apparently, no one thinks twice about it, but for some reason young girls step dancing in their embellished dresses and curly wigs while the lead singer screams about losing his leg cracks me up. 

[Infie]

re: Kevin being abusive physically hidden through the sitcom filter.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned when they had sex in an earlier episode, and Kevin mentions (if I am remembering right) 'doing that thing you don't like to do', or 'doing that thing you never want to do' - something like that - right before they start, and then the cut to her in the bathroom, breathing hard with her makeup all smeared and looking like she wants to throw up. 

I have the feeling that while there might not be outright violence there is still plenty of cohersion in play. 

[chaifan]

I think this show is a good reason to be thankful for streaming services.  Because it never would have seen the light of day on network tv.  I would love to lock up the writers/producers of all the "doofus husband, ambitious wife" sitcoms over the last 3 decades and make them watch this show.  On a personal level, I feel a little vindicated for never liking those shows and not watching them, and being amazed how they stayed on the air year after year.  (Two and a Half Men is another I just never understood surviving past the first season, but that's a whole different genre of misogynistic and stupid.)

I don't know yet if Kevin physically abuses Allison (other than coercive sex), but she definitely has body issues.  I love how Annie plays her to always be pulling her coat or sweater around her, trying to physically cover up.  I'm guessing we'll find out Kevin has shamed her for trying to look good, unless she's on his arm, of course.  I'm with those who think the pig roast splattering beans or whatever it was on her dress was 100% intentional. 

I could have done with less of the escape room plot.  Just too much time on those characters (and that god awful laugh track), and I feel we could have gotten the same sense of stupid and over the top control freak Kevin in about 1/2 the time. 

I agree with the post above that said the best way for Allison to kill Kevin is for Patty to place a really stupid idea in Neil's head, which leads to Kevin's demise. 

Have we seen the "sitcom" part ever take place outside of Allison & Kevin's house/yard?  I'm pretty sure no.  I'm wondering if that is how the "real" Kevin will be revealed - outside of the house. 

[possibilities]

On 7/13/2021 at 12:23 PM, DrSpaceman73 said:

As to the question of why she has to kill Kevin and can't just leave him, other than as a plot device to ramp up the shows tension, the librarian asks her this in episode two and I don't recall how she answers. 

She says he would always find her. This implies he would not let her go, and would make her life impossible through sabotage or some other horrific means. After this episode, I think they've shown that's a credible fear. It is in fact a thing that sometimes abusers will kill you rather than let you go. And Kevin destroyed her reputation and career through sabotage already. Who knows what he would escalate to if that didn't keep her compliant and bring her back like it did before?         

On 7/3/2021 at 10:59 PM, helenamonster said:

Kevin did have a legitimate problem he needed help with (even if it was entirely of his own making). Being locked in the basement with a running oven upstairs can be life or death

So what was Allison supposed to do about it from VT? He could have called 911 and asked them to come if he really thought the house was on fire. He could have thought of some other way than calling the cops and reporting the car stolen. Clearly he doesn't have anyone else he can call, like a friend or family member, and that's no doubt because he's such a shitty person.

Plus, as was said upthread, once his friends were out, they could have turned off the oven and gotten the door open. Hell, I've taken hinges off doors using a manual screwdriver. SOMEONE could have solved this problem without calling Allison 16 times and then calling the cops. He was calling all day, not only after he got stuck in the window.

On 7/6/2021 at 12:12 PM, theredhead77 said:

We may have a third: the escape room scam

Also the insurance fraud when he staged that they'd been robbed in previous episode. This seems to be Kevin's way of life.

On 7/6/2021 at 4:14 PM, arc said:

Like Patty said about Allison’s marriage in the first episode, “there’s no ‘we’ in there.”

And yet she thought it was harmless and funny for 10 entire years.

--

Kevin is more than just inconsiderate and self-absorbed. He actively insults Allison constantly. He sabotages her. He gaslights her. This is not just an immature fuck up scenario. It's active, not passive. Just because so far we haven't seen him raise his voice or his fist, doesn't mean he's not actively doing anything mean. 

Edited September 6, 2022 by possibilities